I really like the idea of the aberrant blood sorcerer. It has some interesting ideas. Manifesting only under some conditions is a nice setup. The conditions don't seem like they would always come up and might end too quickly although I haven't played with them yet. I was disappointed to see only the only level 1 power is an at-will. The level 3 powers can only be used when manifesting a particular aberrant growth. I could see that being problematic for example you manifest coiling tentacles when first bloodied but get hit with a melee attack before your turn ending the manifestation. Similarly a well timed stun could prevent you from using the encounter power before the manifestation ends.

The higher level spells level 5 and 9 look interesting. To fill out some of the other power levels they include upgrade options to make the lower level spells into higher level ones. I'd like to see more variety in powers and covering every level but I understand the limitations of the small book.

The twisted descendant's attack 11 power seem to do more damage than most other powers of that level.

This is not something that I would play myself. A sorceror who is so abnormal that you aren't even human in semblance? No thanks! However it would make a great villain or NPC. One for the Masters not the Players.

Advanced Class: Sorcerer - Aberrant Blood is a short 4 page pdf file detailing a new spell source feature for the 4e GSL game. This product is the second in the Advanced Classes line of products, the other being Druid - Favored Forms. Like other products from Silent7Games, this product is rated according to their 7scale, a scale from 1 to 7 that essentially highlights the complexity and novelty of the product allowing one to assess the suitability for your gaming style. This product has a 7scale rating of 4, which means it includes fairly complex material, new rules material and other novelties of the 4e GSL system. Details of the 7scale system can be found on Silent7Games' website.

The product comes as a very neat and professionally presented pdf file, complete with some good art by David Sorois and Andrew Wilson. In general, the product contains all the trimmings one would expect from a short pdf, combining together to form a top-notch presentation in a style and layout that's pleasing. The writing is good and descriptive, although a few editing errors did slip in, some which I'm quite surprised got through ('vdistortion', for example). Nevertheless, I'm quite pleased by the presentation of this product, as it shows the commitment of the publisher to the 4e GSL and the pdf industry. Let's hope Silent7Games is here for keeps.

This product presents a new bloodline and spell power source for the sorcerer class - the Aberrant Blood source. As the name suggests, the sorcerer's blood is infused with the power or presence of an aberration, and grants the sorcerer various powers, the most notable being the ability to sprout several different aberrant growths like tentacles and eye stalks for various purposes. This spell source has quite a Cthulhu flavor, for those that appreciate the horror and twisted elements of that genre. This product includes the details of the power source, various new sorcerer at-will, encounter and daily powers that build on the spell source, a new feat, and a new paragon path specific to those sorcerers that choose this spell source. The paragon path is available as a free download from Silent7Games' website.

I think this product has produced something interesting and something quite new, both in concept and new rules mechanics. I like the flavor of the spell source, and indeed the various twisted powers available to the sorcerer with this spell source. Even the powers, which I generally find to be quite an uninteresting part of the GSL game, have been adapted to make them more interesting by including power upgrades. This mechanical features means that the powers improve in strength and utility as you advance in level, meaning that you don't necessarily have to switch powers as you increase in level. The upgrades tend to be different enough that you won't get bored using the same power over and over again. I particularly liked how the powers were tailored to the various aspects of the Aberrant Growth feature of the spell source. That makes them more interesting and different when coming from different sorcerers. The feat and paragon path, the Twisted Descendant, are good continuations and support for the spell source.

Overall I really liked this pdf. It's short, to the point, but has been designed well to include good conceptual and mechanical material in very limited space. I think the new spell source and the mechanical novelties are interesting, and leave a lot of room for expansion and roleplaying opportunity. While perhaps the Cthulhu theme isn't that novel, the product modifies it well for the 4e GSL and the mechanical execution is very good. I think this product is an excellent addition to the game and well worth a look at.